Who doesn't like chocolate? Almost everyone, young, old, man, and woman, mostly like chocolate. Including my own self, I like chocolate, fond of it.
Today in the food processing technology class, we discuss chocolate. Start from the history of chocolate, the chemical compound, chocolate products processing, and many more.
The history of chocolate first known came from the Mayan and Aztec tribes. The cocoa (or cacao: sometimes I confused which one is correct. But it doesn't matter) fruit was common for Mayan and Aztec people.
They drank chocolate (first known as an extract of cacao fruit diluted in water) as a bitter and spicy beverage called "xocoatl" (means: bitter water).
Chocolate played an important role in their social and religious life. It symbolized life and fertility and was also used as medicine. It was a drink for wealthy and important people (royalty, priests, etc). Cocoa beans were also used as money (like in a barter system, and quite have high prices).
But nowadays, chocolate is consumed world wide. Switzerland becomes the biggest consumer for chocolate, following by Austria and Ireland. Even though Europe countries never cultivate cacao plants, but they are very famous for the chocolate products. For example is the Belgian Chocolate.
They got cacao beans imported from Indonesia. So...still the classical problem for our country. In my opinion, it might be influenced by the habits of our people, who consumed chocolate not much as European.
Maybe because of the high prices. Maybe because our people is easily satisfied with the processing. Or maybe not many people have the authorization or knowledge to process it further, to increase the value itself.
Actually, this is one of my dreams also, to make my own chocolate factory. Just hope it will have come true. Aamin.
Next. How many chocolate products you can mention?
Most of us only familiar with the chocolate bar, for example (sorry to mention some brands) Silverqueen, Cadburry, Tobleron, etc.